Pawan Mehta

Senior Sourcing & Procurement Leader with 22+ years of managing India sourcing and operations for global retailers across Europe, North America, and South America. Proven success in scaling multi-million-dollar sourcing operations, building vendor ecosystems, and driving product development across Home Textiles, Floor Coverings, Furniture, Decor, Hardgoods, Household, and Pet categories. Expertise in cost optimization, compliance, and KPI-driven supplier management ensuring efficiency, transparency, and profitability.

Founder & Principal Consultant at VANGUARD SOURCING (2025-05 – Present)

Vanguard Sourcing serves as an on-the-ground sourcing and execution partner for international retailers, supporting supplier development, factory engagement, compliance oversight, quality assurance, and end-to-end sourcing execution across India.

• Lead the full sourcing lifecycle, from vendor identification, capacity evaluation, and commercial negotiations to production execution, quality control, and shipment delivery ensuring OTIF performance and cost competitiveness.
• Establish and drive structured QA/QC frameworks including in-line and final inspections, vendor audits, and corrective action systems to minimize defects, mitigate shipment risks, and ensure compliance with global standards.
• Build and scale a diversified, compliant supplier base across key clusters, aligned with ESG, REACH, CPSIA, and customer-specific requirements, ensuring long-term supply stability and scalability.
• Provide ongoing insights on raw material trends, currency movements, and cost drivers, enabling value engineering, margin improvement, and data-driven sourcing decisions.

Sr. Merchandiser at KIK TEXTILIEN UND NON-FOOD GMBH (2024-04 – 2025-04)

KiK is one of Europe's largest discount retailers with 4,200+ stores across 14 countries, offering clothing, home décor, and non-food items.

• Managed sourcing and product development for home textiles, décor, hardgoods, and pet categories, ensuring alignment with KiK's value-driven retail model.
• Led Tender activities, vendor negotiations, and cost optimization to achieve better landed pricing and delivery performance across 30+ suppliers.
• Implemented strategic capacity planning and supplier evaluation frameworks, improving vendor competitiveness, compliance, and lead-time reliability.
• Enhanced sourcing visibility through standardized vendor audit and performance reporting systems.
• Acted as the key liaison between suppliers and cross-functional stakeholders, including QA, CSR, logistics, and German buying teams, ensuring disciplined execution, supplier accountability, and alignment with business priorities.

Sourcing Manager India at CARDENES SOURCING (2013-04 – 2023-11)

Cardenes is a Brazil-based sourcing and buying office for home furnishings, floor coverings, and hard goods, serving leading South American retailers across 1,700+ outlets. Retailer Engagements: Cencosud • Ripley • Camesa • Altenburg • Studio Trama • Tok & Stok • C&C • Domini • QVC (USA)

• Managed India sourcing and vendor development across 40+ factories, scaling business from $100K → $10M through stronger partnerships and optimized cost structures.
• Established and coordinated a flexible sourcing support structure comprising QA personnel across major sourcing clusters, third-party inspection and audit agencies, logistics partners, suppliers, and freelance designers, ensuring disciplined execution, supplier accountability, and operational scalability.
• Implemented structured RFQ/RFP frameworks to enhance pricing transparency, vendor competitiveness, and negotiation outcomes.
• Proactively identified operational bottlenecks and implemented process improvements, enhancing communication flow, reducing delays, and increasing efficiency.
• Negotiated long-term vendor contracts ensuring continuity, improved payment terms, and 15–20% annual cost savings.
• Streamlined T&A and production workflows, achieving 90% on-time delivery through proactive planning and risk management.
• Introduced supplier evaluation & KPI systems to enhance accountability, compliance, and quality consistency.

Sr. Merchandiser at CASINO SOURCING (2007-09 – 2013-04)

French multinational retailer founded in 1898, operating 12,000+ stores worldwide across supermarkets, hypermarkets, and e-commerce formats. Retailer Engagements: Monoprix • Casino • Geant Casino • Leader Price • Pão de Açúcar • Exito • Big C • Galeries Lafayette • Devoto • Cdiscount

• Managed sourcing, merchandising, and product development for home textiles and soft furnishings across multiple global retail chains.
• Expanded annual business from $0.5M → $5.5M, achieving consistent 85%+ on-time delivery across 30+ vendors and 300+ SKUs.
• Drove category growth in cushions and floor cushions, scaling sales from $20K → $900K through design innovation and cost negotiation.
• Negotiated annual supply contracts for towels and bathmats, delivering measurable cost savings and ensuring continuity.
• Collaborated with global buying and QA teams to maintain quality, compliance, and delivery standards across all markets.

Sr. Merchandiser at PACIFIC SOURCING (2005-09 – 2007-08)

Noida-based buying agency serving global retailers across USA, Canada, and Europe. Retailer Engagements: Neiman Marcus, Boston Warehouse, ABC Distributing, Bombay Company, Armani Casa, Walmart (Canada), Olimpias (Italy).

• Managed product development and sourcing for 100+ SKUs across home textiles, aligning vendor capabilities with buyer design, pricing, and compliance expectations.
• Negotiated supplier pricing, delivery terms, and production schedules, ensuring cost efficiency, consistent quality, and on-time shipment execution for international retail programs.

Merchandiser at HANUNG TOYS & FURNISHINGS (2003-06 – 2005-08)

Hanung is an export house with integrated manufacturing and exports worth $55M annually. Retailer Engagements: Franco Manufacturing, CHF Industries, Dunnes Stores, Jo-Ann Stores, Bombay Company, Linen Source, Target, Ahlens.

• Managed merchandising and sampling for home furnishings and soft toys for international buyers.
• Coordinated product development, cost negotiations, and QA to ensure quality compliance and timely order execution.

Graduation in Commerce – Delhi University

Diploma in Web Designing & Development – Webcom Technologies

Full-Stack Developer program in Web Development – PESTO